Bulgaria, Türkiye and Romania to clear mines in Black Sea together
Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria are discussing forming a joint force to clear mines drifting into their waters, which Russia used in its war against Ukraine.
Türkiye, Romania, and Bulgaria aim to form a joint force to clear the mines used by Russia in its war against Ukraine and drifting into the Black Sea waters.
The three NATO members are still working out the details but could form the unit as soon as next month, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are private.
As Russia's aggression against Ukraine approaches NATO's borders, the alliance is trying to balance its response to prevent further escalation. From drone parts drifting with the currents to at least a dozen drift mines, the war threatens to encroach on the territory of three NATO countries with direct access to the Black Sea, a major trade route, forcing them to strengthen their defenses.
Although not a NATO operation, the joint naval demining force will be the first major joint initiative between the allies in the Black Sea since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. This comes at a time when the allies are confronted with Russia's increasingly provocative behavior in the region and seemingly random incidents.
According to Bloomberg TV Bulgaria, the new force is intended to be purely peaceful and will not launch new NATO ships. One of the objectives of the mission is to demonstrate that the three countries are capable of dealing with the problem on their own.
NATO allies have increased surveillance and intelligence activities in the region since the start of the war, but naval activity has not increased. Türkiye has cited an international agreement that allows the passage of warships belonging only to Black Sea countries, not to other countries, including NATO allies, to prevent an escalation of the conflict.
Russia's war against Ukraine is increasingly threatening the transport of raw materials via the Black Sea. Although Russia is trying to disrupt Ukraine's exports, both countries are major grain producers and a significant portion of Russia's oil travels through sea routes. For more than two months this year, Russia blocked commercial traffic by organizing military exercises that made parts of the exclusive economic zones of Bulgaria and Türkiye unsafe for shipping.
Source: Bloomberg Bulgaria
